FARGO, N.D. — Kylen Sealock and Lauren Medeck put away 15 kills each as the South Dakota volleyball team earned a 3-1 win over North Dakota State in the Bentson Bunker Fieldhouse Thursday night.
 
Avery Van Hook led the Coyotes in digs with 18 while dishing out 46 assists on the night. Medeck recorded a double-double with 17 digs to go with two blocks and an ace. Morgan Bode added eight kills on a .538 hitting percentage, had one ace and rejected six Bison attacks (two solo). Amanda Loschen notched five blocks, while Cheyenne Hlady had three and seven kills.
 
"This was a great team win on the road! Both teams were really good offensively in the first set, and I felt like we made some good defensive adjustments going into set two," said head coach Leanne Williamson. "We got better with our block throughout the match as well. It is always hard to win on the road, and I was really proud of how we stayed composed after the first set. We were scrappy and took some huge swings in big moments to earn a big win! We are looking forward to a weekend off to rest and recover before a big road weekend best weekend!"
 
The Coyotes would control the early lead, but a 9-2 run gave NDSU a 13-9 edge halfway through the first frame. The Yotes and Bison would trade points throughout the remainder of the set, with NDSU winning the frame 25-22. Medeck, Sealock and Bode were on the attack from the get-go, as all three put away four kills in the set. Both teams tallied 17 kills in the first, but the Bison had more aces (2-0) and blocks (1-0).  
 
The Bison jumped out to an 8-2 lead in the second frame, but the Yotes responded with a four-point swing powered by a pair of kills from Sealock and a block from Bode and Van Hook. While the Yotes continued to cut into the Bison lead, NDSU would stay in front until a service ace from Van Hook knotted the score at 20-20. After a Bison point, the Coyotes pulled the match even with a 5-1 run, taking set two 25-22. Medeck got the Yotes run started with a kill, followed by an ace. Loschen teamed up with Sealock for a block, and then Loschen put the Yotes on set point with a kill.
 
After tallying three blocks in the second, the Coyotes totaled five total blocks in the third behind three from Loschen and two from Hlady, Bode and Medeck. South Dakota moved ahead 14-7 following a Loschen, Hlady block, which was the Coyotes third block of the set at that point. Medeck was involved in three straight points with two kills and a block, as the Yotes moved closer to the set win, 22-16. The Bison responded with a 5-1 run, but Sealock slammed the set shut with her 11th kill of the match.
 
The Yotes capitalized on Bison errors early in the fourth frame, as they raced out to a 13-6 advantage. The Coyote block continued to affect the Bison attack, as USD tallied four blocks led by a pair of solo blocks by Bode. NDSU committed 11 hitting errors in the frame, compared to five for the Yotes. Back-to-back kills from Hlady and Sealock, followed by a block from Loschen and Hlady moved the Yotes to match point. A bad set by the Bison secured the win for the Yotes, as they swept the regular season series over NDSU.
 
The Coyotes will hit the road for a pair of matches next week beginning on Thursday in St. Paul, Minnesota against St. Thomas.
 
Notes

• South Dakota improves to 18-6 on the season, 10-3 in Summit League play
• The Coyotes have won eight of their last nine matches
• USD earned a regular season sweep over the Bison with tonight's win
• Kamryn Farris has reached double-digit dig totals in 18 straight matches
• Kylen Sealock has put away double-digit kills in each her last nine matches
• Avery Van Hook notched her 15^th double-double of the season, leading the Coyotes in assists (46) and digs (18)
• After both teams hit above .350 in the first set, the Coyotes held the Bison to a sub .070 hitting percentage in each of the next three sets
• Lauren Medeck tallied her 13th match this season with double-digit kills
• Morgan Bode had eight kills with a .538 hitting percentage, her second time this season she's hit at a .500+ clip with over 10 swings
• Bode has rejected five or more blocks in 12 matches this season